About
Fiber and Toy Artist. Designer and maker of unique characters made of joy... and wool!
About
Maria Filipe Castro aka droolwool, is a Fiber and Toy Artist from Portugal, currently based in the UK.
She designs characters in a deliciously cute style, that she sculpts using needles and wool, creating unique and one of a kind Art Toys and Soft Sculptures.
Using food and nature as an inspiration she likes to tell tiny stories with a touch of innocence and lots of humor, making her characters portray spontaneous human reactions, capturing moments of spontaneity that only children and specially toddlers are capable of demonstrating.
With each character Maria creates, she's been gently building a special world where fruits, clouds, sweets and elements of nature come to life and share their personal stories about love, friendship, self-expression, misfortunes, overcoming obstacles among other daily life events.
Maria teaches Needle Felting and her design approach on an online course at Domestika, a technique that she's been developing for almost 10 years.
She was an invited speaker at 1st Pictoplasma in Isolation, a leading platform dedicated to the art of Character Design.
In 2021 Maria was a Finalist in the 10th Designer Toy Awards in the "Best Non-Plastic" category with the Art Toy “Happy Tears Cloud”.
Maria Filipe is currently focusing in developing her 3D skills in a way to broaden her abilities not only as a Sculptor but also as a Character Designer.
Droolwool's work can be found in selected Art Galleries where she has been exhibiting regularly, but also on her online shop.
Exhibitions:
- "Atelier Open", Group exhibition, Atelier Beside the Sea, Brighton, UK, July 2022
- " Crazy 4 Cult ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, August 2021
- " 50th Anniversary of Wonka ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, February 2021
- " Gift Wrapped 2020 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2020
- " The Familiar show ", Custom art group show, Horrible Adorables / Woot Bear Gallery, San Francisco, USA, August 2020
- " Food Fight ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2020
- " Gift Wrapped 2019 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2019
- " Winter Salon IX ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2019
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth II ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2019
- " Play with your FOOD ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2019
- " Love Bug ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, February 2019
- " Gift Wrapped 2018 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2018
- " Winter Salon VIII ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2018
- " Bewitching VIII " , Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, October 2018
- " Plush the Limits", Group exhibition, Mothership Art Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, September 2018
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth " - Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2018
- " Gift Wrapped 2017 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2017
- " Stitched 2 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, May 2017
- " Kute As Fuh " , Group exhibition, PIQ, NYC. USA, July 2015
- " Crazy 4 Cult ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, August 2021
- " 50th Anniversary of Wonka ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, February 2021
- " Gift Wrapped 2020 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2020
- " The Familiar show ", Custom art group show, Horrible Adorables / Woot Bear Gallery, San Francisco, USA, August 2020
- " Food Fight ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2020
- " Gift Wrapped 2019 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2019
- " Winter Salon IX ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2019
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth II ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2019
- " Play with your FOOD ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2019
- " Love Bug ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, February 2019
- " Gift Wrapped 2018 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2018
- " Winter Salon VIII ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2018
- " Bewitching VIII " , Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, October 2018
- " Plush the Limits", Group exhibition, Mothership Art Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, September 2018
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth " - Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2018
- " Gift Wrapped 2017 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2017
- " Stitched 2 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, May 2017
- " Kute As Fuh " , Group exhibition, PIQ, NYC. USA, July 2015
Events:
- Speaker at 1st Pictoplasma in Isolation , Online conference, Berlin, Germany, September 2020
- Toy Con UK, UK, 2018
- New York Comic Con, USA,2017
- Toy Con UK, UK, 2018
- New York Comic Con, USA,2017
Blog Features:
The Toy Chronicle / Zona Toys Blog / The Toy Chronicle / The Toy Chronicle / Bacánika / The Toy Chronicle / Format Magazine
The Toy Chronicle / Mr X Stich - Felter Skelter / The Toy Chronicle / Creative Boom / Mr X Stitch / My Modern Met Selects
The Toy Chronicle / Brown Paper Bag / Plastic and Plush / Plastic and Plush / TUTS + / The Toy Chronicle / Mr X Stich - Felter Skelter
The Toy Chronicle / Mr X Stich - Felter Skelter / The Toy Chronicle / Creative Boom / Mr X Stitch / My Modern Met Selects
The Toy Chronicle / Brown Paper Bag / Plastic and Plush / Plastic and Plush / TUTS + / The Toy Chronicle / Mr X Stich - Felter Skelter
Editorial Features:
- Make & Sew Toys, Issue 12, February 2022
- Felt Matters, International Felt Makers Association Magazine, Issue 145, December 2021
- Pictoplasma, Magazine for Character Design and Art #1 Face Value, Spring 2021
- Frankie Magazine Australia, Issue 77, 2017
- TEXWORLD Paris, Messe Frankfurt, Inspiration book, Spring / Summer 2018 (2017)
- ELLE STIJLBIJBEL Netherlands 2014
- Felt Matters, International Felt Makers Association Magazine, Issue 145, December 2021
- Pictoplasma, Magazine for Character Design and Art #1 Face Value, Spring 2021
- Frankie Magazine Australia, Issue 77, 2017
- TEXWORLD Paris, Messe Frankfurt, Inspiration book, Spring / Summer 2018 (2017)
- ELLE STIJLBIJBEL Netherlands 2014
Collaborations:
- DHG Dyeing House Gallery, 2021
Competitions:
- 11th Annual Designer Toy Awards Finalist, Nominated for Best Non-Plastic, 2022
- 10th Annual Designer Toy Awards Finalist, Nominated for Best Non-Plastic, 2021
- Pictoplasma's Call for Entries "Character Flags" winner, 2021
- Pictoplasma's Call for Entries "Bunny Reloaded" winner , 2018
- 10th Annual Designer Toy Awards Finalist, Nominated for Best Non-Plastic, 2021
- Pictoplasma's Call for Entries "Character Flags" winner, 2021
- Pictoplasma's Call for Entries "Bunny Reloaded" winner , 2018
Education:
- 1996/2002 Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto in Sculpture